Perspiration absorbant sleeve for a racquet handle

ABSTRACT

A removable sleeve for a racquet handle comprises a form fitting, elastic, perspiration absorbent body. The body may be comprised of an inner tube surrounded by an outer tube. The inner tube is elastic so that it may be stretched over the racquet handle. The outer tube is of terrycloth and has a longitudinal split with unconnected edges so that it can expand when the tubes are placed on the racquet handle.

United States Patent [72, Inventor Harvey D. Spitz 459 Barton PL, N. Brunswick, NJ. 08902 [21 Appl. No. 786,794

[22] Filed Nov. 4, 1968 [45] Patented Oct. 19, 1971 [54] PERSPIRATION ABSORBANT SLEEVE FOR A RACQUET HANDLE 3 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. Cl 273/75, 273/72, 273/73 J, 273/81 D, 74/551.9 [51] Int. Cl A63b 49/00 [50] Field of Search 273/67, 72,

73, 73 (9), 75, 76, 81, 54 B; l45/6l.5-6l.9; 74/5518, 551.9, 558.5, 558; 43/23; 2/170, 181;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 399,340 3/1889 Morgan 273/75 1,345,505 7/1920 Persons.. 74/551.9 2,643,389 6/1953 vleg lgr 2/170 2,003,917 6/1935 Bowden 273/75 2,078,059 4/1937 Churchill. 74/558 2,121,963 6/1938 Goit 74/558 2,583,198 1/1952 Axton, Jr 273/81 X 2,776,582 1/1957 Blades..... 74/5585 X 2,984,486 5/1961 Jones... 273/75 X 3,343,578 9/1967 Rubin 74/558.5 X FOREIGN PATENTS 3,892 1892 Great Britain.. 273/81 R 730,310 5/1932 France 2/170 Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-Richard J. Apley Attorneys-Arthur L. Plevy and Joel F. Spivak ABSTRACT: A removable sleeve for a racquet handle comprises a form fitting, elastic, perspiration absorbent body. The body may be comprised of an inner tube surrounded by an outer tube. The inner tube is elastic so that it may be stretched over the racquet handle. The outer tube is of terrycloth and has a longitudinal split with unconnected edges so that it can expand when the tubes are placed on the racquet handle.

TUBULAR ELASTIC PERSPIRATION ABSORBANT MEMBER TUBULAR PERSPIRATION ABSORBANT MEMBER PATENTEDnm 19 I971 INVEN TOR 5 /72 f g I A TTORNE Y PERSPIRATION ABSORBANT SLEEVE FOR A RACQUET HANDLE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a removable, form fitting, perspiration absorbant sleeve for handles and more particularly for racquet handles.

Heretofore, sleeves have been provided for handles such as baseball bat handles and golf handles which are nonremovable, nonabsorbant and nonwashable. These prior art sleeves are generally concerned with providing a slipproof surface for the handle rather than a perspiration absorbant surface.

When playing tennis, badminton, squash, paddle ball, or the like, where the player holds his racquet essentially continuously, there is a great tendency for the racquet hand to perspire. Perspiration on the racquet hand causes the player to adjust and tighten his grip in a manner that may adversly affect his play. In this respect, tennis differs from baseball where, in the latter sport, an extremely tight grip is desired. In addition, in tennis, there is often the need to rotate the hand on the racquet handle to take a preferred grip for a backhand return as compared to a forehand return of a tennis ball, and the presence of perspiration often results in difficulty of movement of the hand on the racquet to obtain the proper forehand or backhand grip.

It is an object of this invention to provide a perspiration absorbant, removable, form fitting sleeve for racquet handles.

It is a further object to provide a perspiration absorbant, removable form fitting sleeve for a racquet handle which is washable so as to prevent the buildup of bacteria and odor on the sleeve or racquet handle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A sleeve for a racquet handle comprises a perspiration absorbant material which is adapted to form fit over said racquet handle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a tennis racket having a perspiration absorbant sleeve on the handle thereof.

FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of a novel perspiration absorbant sleeve.

FIG. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a front cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment to that shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a side cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the novel sleeve.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a tennis racket 11 comprising a frame 12 having a handle portion 13 and a removable, form fitting, perspiration absorbant sleeve 14 thereon. A side cross-sectional view of the sleeve 14 is shown in FIG. 2. The sleeve 14 comprises an elastic liner 21 having a perspiration absorbant outer member 22 attached thereto. The sleeve 14 as shown has an open ended cylindrical body. However, it can be made with one end closed. The liner 21 may be composed of any suitable elastic material or fiber such as rubber, or elastic fibers commonly employed in ladies foundation garments and in elastic bandages. The outer member is comprised of a perspiration absorbant material, for example terrycloth, absorbant paper or sponge. The outer member 22 can be attached to the liner by stitching or weaving it onto the liner or by laminating it to the liner with a glue or cement.

The perspiration absorbant member 22 as shown in FIG. 3, does not completely circumferentially cover the liner 21 thereby creating gap 23. In this way, the sleeve 14 which has a cylindrical cross-sectional area in its unstretched state of less than that of the handle 13 upon which it is to fit, may be readily stretched so as to easily slip over the handle 13 and fit securely thereon in a form fitting manner.

When a perspiration absorbant material 42 completely surrounds the liner 21 so as to form an endless, gap free, configuration as shown in FIG. 4, there is a tendency to constrain or limit the stretchability of the sleeve 14. In order to obviate this problem the perspiration absorbant material 42 is applied to the liner 21 in the form of a somewhat loose flock. Alternatively, it may be loosely interwoven with the liner 21, or perspiration absorbant material may itself be elastic in nature.

Another embodiment shown in FIG. 5, comprises a perspiration absorbant material 22 in a cylindrical configuration and having a plurality of elastic ribs 51 laminated in spared relationship around the inner surface of the material 22.

Still another embodiment (not shown) is a sleeve comprised of a single material which is both perspiration absorbant and elastic, for example a sponge or spongelike material.

The resiliancy of the sleeve should be such that the sleeve will grip the handle and will not readily turn or twist on the handle when playing.

In its preferred embodiment the novel sleeve is capable of being washed by ordinary everyday laundering techniques so as to prevent the buildup of odor and bacteria thereon. A sleeve comprising a terrycloth" perspiration absorbant member and an elastic liner of a material such as those commonly used in ladies foundation garments or elastic bandages is an example of a washable sleeve.

Alternatively the sleeve may comprise an elastic liner and a I disposable perspiration absorbant material such as paper toweling which is secured to the liner by any adhesive or securing means for example by means of an adhesive tape. In this embodiment the perspiration absorbant material is placed on the liner after the liner is positioned on the racquet handle.

The novel sleeves are not only functional but may also be decorative in that the absorbant material can be made available in various colors and/or designs.

What is claimed is:

l. The combination of a racquet of the type used for tennis and the like, said racquet including a handle portion, said handle portion having a cross section of a given geometrical configuration, said racquet having a paddle portion permanently secured to said handle portion at one end thereof and of substantially larger dimensions than said handle portion, and a covering sleeve for said handle portion; the improvement wherein said sleeve comprises:

a. a first longitudinal tubular member fabricated from a stretchable elastic material and having a circular cross section, said first member having a first unstretched state wherein said cross section is smaller than said given cross section of said handle, said first member capable of being stretched to a second state so that said cross section thereof is increased to permit said first tubular member to be placed upon said handle at the end thereof furthest removed from said paddle portion and to surround a portion of said handle, whereby due to the nature of said elastic material said first member will conform to said given geometrical cross section of said handle while further capable of being selectively replaced and removed from said handle, b. a second longitudinal tubular member forming a cover member and fabricated from a single piece of perspiration absorbent terrycloth. said cover member being longitudinally split with the adjacent edges formed by said split unconnected to one another. said cover member being removably coupled to said first member to secure said cover member about said first member so that said cover member will elastically expand with said first tubular member when placed on said handle portion and to permit said cover member to be easily removed therefrom.

2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said terrycloth is of the type which may be repeatedly laundered.

3. The combination according to claim 1 further including an adhesive coupling said cover member to said surface of said first longitudinal member. 

1. The combination of a racquet of the type used for tennis and the like, said racquet including a handle portion, said handle portion having a cross section of a given geometrical configuration, said racquet having a paddle portion permanently secured to said handle portion at one end thereof and of substantially larger dimensions than said handle portion, and a covering sleeve for said handle portion; the improvement wherein said sleeve comprises: a. a first longitudinal tubular member fabricated from a stretchable elastic material and having a circular cross section, said first member having a first unstretched state wherein said cross section is smaller than said given cross section of said handle, said first member capable of being stretched to a second state so that said cross section thereof is increased to permit said first tubular member to be placed upon said handle at the end thereof furthest removed from said paddle portion and to surround a portion of said handle, whereby due to the nature of said elastic material said first member will conform to sAid given geometrical cross section of said handle while further capable of being selectively replaced and removed from said handle, b. a second longitudinal tubular member forming a cover member and fabricated from a single piece of perspiration absorbent terrycloth, said cover member being longitudinally split with the adjacent edges formed by said split unconnected to one another, said cover member being removably coupled to said first member to secure said cover member about said first member so that said cover member will elastically expand with said first tubular member when placed on said handle portion and to permit said cover member to be easily removed therefrom.
 2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said terrycloth is of the type which may be repeatedly laundered.
 3. The combination according to claim 1 further including an adhesive coupling said cover member to said surface of said first longitudinal member. 